Improved gas-retort



UNrrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILLS L. OALLENDER, OF NEW YORK, AssIGNOR To HIMsELF AND SIDNEY L. HOLDREGE, or GREENBURG, NEW YORK.

IM PROVED GAS-RETO RT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 84,679, dated December 8, 1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, MILLS L. CALLENDER, of the city and county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Retorts; and the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specication.

The nature of my invention consists in the con struction and arrangement of retorts for generating gas for illuminating purposes, so their operation may be more complete, the object being, more particularly, to rapidly increase the temperature of the freshly-charged material and the condensable vapors thereof to the point of destructive distillation, thereby making the process chemically complete, and giving nearly double the yield of gas ordinarily obtained. This is done by having a par tition or diaphragm divide the retort, so that two chambers may be used in connectionv one with the other, whereby one chamber may be charged at different intervals from the other, so that the high temperature of the partiallyspent charge may be used to communicate with the adjoining chamber, and the vapors and gases of the iirst chamber be conducted through the second chamber, and vice versa, alternately, as follows, viz., by the contiguity of the incandescent carbon of apartially-spent charge of one chamber to the newly-charged chamber, and by causing the first products of distillation of the new chamber to pass into the adjoining highly-heated chamber or ilue, as the case may be, containing incandescent material or not, for the purpose of converting the condensable properties into a permanent and elastic gas. This being done, the remaining gases are allowed to pass either in the reverse direction or directly into the stand-pipe and main in the usual manner.

In order to assist in the production of a greater amount of gas,'while at the same time assisting the temperature, the new charge may be diluted with a weaker gas from a partiallyspent charge from the adjoining chamber, or by the introduction of gases direct from the furnace, or of air from the exterior of the retort, by means of suitable connections between either the furnace or the exterior and the retort or stand-pipe. To accelerate this latter movement and render it operative, an exhauster may be used, or a steam-jet may be introduced into the stand-pipe, which will create a partial vacuum in the retort, for the purpose of its being fed or supplied from the furnace with diluted gas or air from the exterior, as hereinbefore stated.

In order to make this more apparent, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings. Y

Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4A give different views of the retort, wherein- A is the diaphragm or partition. G is the valve or opening in the rear part of the diaphragm. D is the stand-pipe. B is the damper or valve. E is the steam-jet.

To enable those skilled in the arts to carry out my invention, I will proceed to describe the same. y

Chamber No. 1 of retort A is charged with coal or carbonaceous material, and distilled until the charge is partially spent, the damper or valve B being turned to j, causing the gas or vapor to pass through chamber No. 2 to reach the exit or stand pipe D. Ithen charge chamber No. 2, and immediately turn the damper B to position h, which causes the condensable vapors to pass through chamber No. 1, where they are fully decomposed by the incandescent carbon. After thirty minutes (more or less) the damper B is turned to position j again, which throws the hot gases of chamber No. l into and through chamber N o. 2, to increase its temperature and increase the volume of gas by combining with and fully decomposing the vapors evolved therein; or the operation may be reversed by sending the vapors and gas of the new charge directly out of its own chamber and exit-valve, assisted by the products of the partially-spent charge conducted through it from the beginning by the distillation of the former. At any time the damper B may be placed vertically, which will give exit from both chambers directly to the stand-pipe D.

Openings (not shown) may be iliade in the retort to communicate with either the furnace or the exterior atmosphere, and supplied with proper valves, which, bythe action of the ex- Having thus described my invention, what hauster or steam pipe and jet E y, can draw I desire to claim is- A double retort made, arranged, and operated inthe manner and for the purposes substantially as described. f

1W. L. CALLENDER.

Witnesses JAMES NOLAN, CHARLES D. INGERsoLL. 

